Vestibule type sanitary napkin



United States Patent.

[72] Inventor Blossom E. Hodas 2,747,575 5/1956 Mercer 128/290 200 S.Middle Neck Road, Great Neck, New 3,375,827 4/1968 Bletzinger et al v128/290 York 11020 [21] Appl. No. 687,266 FOREIGN PATENTS [22] FiledDec. 1, 1967 671,555 10/1963 Canada 128/290 [45] Paemed Sept' 1970Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkharn Attorney Polachek and Saulsbury [54]VESTIBULE-TYPE SANITARY NAPKIN 2 Claims 10 Drawing Figs ABSTRACT: Asanitary napkin comprising a primary pad of U-S- three layers ofabsorbent fluffand creped absorb- 13/ 18 cut paper, a secondary layercentrally located on the top of sfial'ch r layer of the primary pad 3wra ing tit hing ar nd the 284, 285 secondary layer and through thewrapping and connecting the seconda la er to the to la er of the rimarad. The other [561 References C'ted layers can primary pad reidded to the stit h d primary top UNITED STATES PATENTS layer and secondary layerand the stitched wrapper folded 2,092,346 9/1937 Arone 128/29OX over andunder the bottom layers of the primaryipad to en- 2,33I,355 10/1943Strongson.. 128/290 close the same within the wrapper stitched to thetop layer of Re.24, l 37 4/1956 Jacks 128/290 the primary pad.

ABSORBENT FLUFF AND CREPED WAoD/NG A ND CR EPED "A DOING Aasazesur EIZPatented Sept. 15, 1970 Sheet UFF' WA DD/NG ABSORBENT FL AND cREPeD n uu n n n d n n I gmrw W" 2 16 {5 1850225 37 ZFF A ND C2 EPED WA DOING IINVENTOR. B/ossom f hoa'as ATTURNEYS Patented Sept. 15, 1970 Sheet 1 NVENTOR.

VESTIBULE-TYPE SANITARY N APKIN A primary object of the presentinvention is to provide a sanitary napkin of an improved constructionpermitting use thereof as a senii-intemal or vestibule-type napkin.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sanitarynapkin which includes in addition to a main fluid absorbent element asecondary absorbent element of rib like configuration adapting thenapkin to semi-internal use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved napkinof the vestibule type having improved absorbencyof the rib like element.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved napkin ofthe vestibule type having a non woven cover or wrapped stitched to thesecondary absorbent element and primary absorbent element, whereby thesecondary absorbent element is held against displacement.

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a sanitary napkin embodying one formof the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the plane ofthe line22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 33 ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a sanitary napkin embodying amodified form of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the plane of the line 55 ofFIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a sanitary napkin embodyinganother modified form of the invention.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the plane of theline 7-7 of FIG. 6

FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of the auxiliary absorbent element.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a sanitary napkin embodying yetanother modified form of the invention.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the plane of theline l010 of FIG. 9.

Referring now in detail to the various views of the drawings in FIG. 1 asanitary napkin embodying one form of the invention is shown anddesignated generally at 10. The sanitary napkin 10 comprises a primaryfluid absorbent element 12 such as an elongated napkin or pad of fluffor a combination of fluff and creped wadding of generally planarconfiguration. The pad or napkin is composed of three superimposedlayers 14, 16 and 18 of the fluid absorbent material with layers 20, 20of absorbent paper therebetween.

The layers get thicker progressively from top to bottom. The pad ornapkin is substantially rectangular in plan.

An auxiliary fluid absorbent element 22 is positioned on the top surfaceof the top layer 14 centrally of said top layer. The auxiliary absorbentelement is formed of a single layer of absorbent material which may befluff and creped wadding projecting above the top surface of the toplayer 14.The auxiliary element is arcuate shaped in cross section and isvery narrow and terminates short-of the ends of the top layer 14.

The primary fluid absorbent element 12 and the auxiliary absorbentelement or pad 22 are both enclosed in a fluid pervious nonwovenwrapping material 24 which extends beyond opposite ends of the pad 12 ina known manner to form tapered tab ends 26, 26 for securing the napkinin position during use. The enclosed elements are symmetrically disposedin respect to their center lines. The element 22 is raised approximatelyone half inch above the top layer 14.

As best shown in FIG. 2, wrapper 24 encloses the outer face of auxiliarypad 22 and is drawn inwardly along opposite sides margins of the primarypad 12, with the wrapping material being longitudinally overlapped alongcentral portions of the bottom primary pad surface as indicated at 28.

A line of stitching 30 extends through the top layer 14 of the mainelement, the topmost paper layer 20 and through the long end edges ofthe auxiliary element 22, the overlapped edges 28 of the wrapper beingunattached. The line of stitching 30 securely bonds the auxiliary pad 22to the top layer 14 of the primary element 12, holding the auxiliary padagainst displacement.

In use, the auxiliary pad element 22 defines an elongated rib likeelement adapted for insertion into the vestibule. The symmetricallyrounded ends of the auxiliary pad provide a relieved contour at bothends of the napkin for improved conformance with the anatomy.

In the embodiment of the invention, illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, thenapkin 10 is comprised of a highly absorbent core or pad 12' enclosed ina nonwoven material wrapper 24'. The core is composed of highlyabsorbent cellulose materials such as cellulose wadding, wool fluff,cotton fibers or the like, folded or curled longitudinally.

The wrapper 24' is composed of a cross laid nonwoven material and issuperimposed upon the core in such a manner that the longitudinalthreads or warp threads of the wrapper material are parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the core. The warp threads may be made of anymaterial commonly used in sanitary napkins either natural or syntheticsuch as nylon. The wool threads may be of the same or different materialfrom that of the warp threads. The warp and the wool threads should bebonded together by a suitable bonding agent, such as adhesive.

The wrapper is applied to the core by wrapping it around the core sothat the longitudinal threads of the wrapper material are parallel tothe longitudinal axis of the sanitary napkin core. The wrapped materialis tied by strings 32 at the ends of the core forming tab ends 26' forattachment to an article of clothing or belt.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate another modified form of the invention whichdiffers from the napkin 10 of FIG. 1 merely in that the secondary pad22" is composed of an accordion pleated transversely folded strip ofhighly absorbent cellulose materials such as cellulose wadding, woolfluff, cotton fibers or the like, the folds being unattached to eachother. In this form of the invention, the secondary pad 22" is fixedagainst displacement by a pair of lines of stitching 30", 30" extendingthe length of the wrapper 24" and along the long sides of the pad 22".

In all other respects, the napkin 10" is similar to the napkin 10 andsimilar reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts In themodified form of napkin 10a shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the rib likesecondary pad portion 22a is formed by folding the top layer 14a of theprimary element or pad 12a longitudinally forming juxtaposed elongatedfolds 34, 34, and transversely cut at points remote from the ends of thetop layer 14a as indicated at 36, 36.

The wrapper 24a is applied to the secondary pad portion 220 and theprimary pad element 12a similarly to the application thereof to napkin10 of FIG. 1, and two lines of stitching 30a, 30a extend along the longsides of the pad portion 22a and extend to the ends of the wrapper 24a.

In all other respects, the napkin 10a is similar to napkin of FIG. 1 andsimilar reference numerals are used to indicate similar partsthroughout.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise construction herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A sanitary napkin of the vestibule type comprising a planar absorbentprimary pad, said pad being formed of three layers of absorbent fluffand creped wadding with sheets of ab- I sorbent paper interposedtherebetween, a secondary absorbent pad projecting upwardly from the topsurface of the primary pad centrally thereof and midway its ends, saidsecondary pad comprising absorbent fluff and creped wadding, a wrapperof nonwoven material folded downwardly over the top surfaces of theprimary and secondary-pads and inwardly over the bottom surface of thelower layer of the primary pad 2. A sanitary napkin of t he vestibuletype as defined in claim 5 1, wherein the secondary pad is composed ofan elongated strip of absorbent fluff and creped wadding foldedtransversely forming a plurality of juxtaposed folds in looserelationship with each other.

